Abraham’s Obedience to God
The life and history of Abraham, a man who is faithful and obedient to God, demonstrates how to live a purposed filled life with paths that are totally directed by the Messiah. After that, I sensitize this hypothesis that life is void until the will and purpose for being is fulfilled by acknowledging God and allowing him to direct life’s path.
In earlier times, Abram and Sarai were without any children. The couple was in their late eighty’s and all hope of Sarai baring a child was gone. Sarai’s lack of faith and desperate desire to have a child resulted in her giving their slave-girl Hagar, unto her husband to bare a child, whom was named, Ishmael. Ten years after the birth of Ishmael, the LORD appeared to Abram with a plan and purpose that was far greater and more miraculous than ever expected. The LORD made a covenant with Abram that would change his life forever. When God steps into your life, he becomes your potter. He shapes and molds you into the vessel that he needs you to be in order to fulfill his WILL. Abram was shaped by the changing of his identity. God gave Abram instructions to change his name to Abraham and for Sarai’s to change her name to Sarah. God chose Abraham to ancestor a multitude of nations. This everlasting covenant with Abraham covered his offspring, and their generations. In addition, Abraham and his generations would populate the land of Canaan. God also told Abraham he would bless Ishmael with a great nation. Abraham was told to circumcise every male at eight days old. He was to circumcise Ishmael and any males bought with his money from any foreigners who were not his offspring. The circumcision would signify the covenant between Abraham and God. Abraham did not hesitate carrying out God’s orders. To receive the blessings God have for us, we must be obedient and we must carry out his orders exactly as instructed. When God has a plan and gives us an order, we must act on it immediately. Blessings may not always come when expected. God has set aside a season or time for which our plan will be implemented. For example, the LORD told Abraham that Sarah would bare and nurse her first son at the age of ninety, and whose name will be Isaac, a year from the time of their conversation.
For instance; God made a covenant with Abraham as evident in the book of Genesis, Chapter 15 verse 18, where God had promised that he would give Abraham and his descendant the land from the river of Egypt unto the great river Euphrates. I also believe Sarai was a significant beneficiary of the blessings of God's covenant with Abraham. However, I believe Sarai and Abram broke the marriage vows established in Genesis Chapter 2 Verse 24, which clearly states the reason why a man should leave his father and mother to form a unity with his wife. Because of the human nature and how we perceive situations, I believe Sarai could not exercise any more patience for God's appointed time, nor could she imagine to have a child in her old age. I also believe the reason she gave up on God's appointed time was that she had already experienced her
Initially, in Genesis 11:30 we feel remorse for Sarai in her barrenness. Repeatedly it is expressed that Sarai is barren. Sharon Jeansonne explains, “Indeed, Sarai’s childlessness is predominant in most of the scenes that concern her” (15). Sarai’s inadequacy is stated repetitively because at this time, a woman was considered worthless if she could not conceive children and bear her husband offspring. Knowing the importance of progeny, Sarai attempts to fulfill her dreams of having a son for Abraham. Prior to informing the reader of Sarai’s plans, it is stated that she and Abram have lived in Canaan for ten years now without her giving him a child. She is now finally doing something about the issue (19). She decides that she should have a son through her maidservant Hagar. In Genesis 16:2 it reads, “And Sarai said to Abraham, ‘Look, the Lord has kept me from bearing. Consort with my maid; perhaps I shall have a son through her.’ And Abram heeds Sarai’s request” (Berlin and Brettler). Through this verse it becomes unmistakable that the entire plan is Sarai’s and Abram simply obeys while Hagar is given no choice (Tikva Frymer-Kensky 226). The practice of having a maid give birth in place of another woman was common, yet it seems as though Sarai di...
Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning, is a powerful and insightful book, however, does the center message intertwine with his religious beliefs? Frankl’s book shares the same concerns as religion such as: First, his beliefs of having nothing will give one a Higher Purpose; second, his belief that we must change to become worthy; and third, that we need fill an “empty soul” with God to find meaning.
One day, Abram had a vision. In the vision God tells Abram to leave his father’s house which is today’s Iraq, and travel to a place that God will show him. God said that if Abram who becomes Abraham obeyed this command, his descendants would become a great nation, and that he will bless thee,...
Circumcision has been a religious practice in many different cultures, ranging from Africa to the Middle East, and to Asia. While prevalent in both Jewish and Muslim societies, the earliest known documentation of circumcision comes from Egyptian hieroglyphics discovered dating back to 2300 BC. While the reason behind circumcision is currently unknown, many theories exist as to attempt to explain it origins. One theory persists that that circumcision started as a way to release the body from sin, and purifying both the individual and the society, as sexuality was seen as dirty and impure, and the removing of the foreskin would reduce sexual pleasure. In Abrahamic faiths, Jewish and Muslim, circumcision is practiced as a way confirm one 's relationship to God, and is stated in the Torah, as the covenant between God and Abraham, “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee: every male among you shall be circumcised. " While two of the earliest form of Christianity, Coptic Christian, and Ethiopian Orthodox
Smith, Andrew. "Chapter Nine: Life After Death." 2014. A Secular View of God. 12 May 2014 .
Unfortunately, Sarah was unable to bare children for many years. She even assigned blame, asserting, “The Lord has kept me from having children (Genesis 16:1).” God had promised Sarah she would bear children but Sarah grew impatient, as she often did. Now, Sarah turned to her Egyptian servant, Hagar. Sarah rendered Hagar to Abraham so that she could bear his child. Abraham consented to his wife’s wishes and later Ishmael was born. [The Book does not mention whether Hagar consented to this arrangement or not.] Now, both Sarah and Hagar were connected to Abraham. After Hagar conceives a child with Abraham, Sarah holds a certain level of antipathy towards her servant. Sarah feels that her servant holds her to a lower esteem because she cannot conceive, and Sarah starts to feels insignificant. In return, Sarah treats her servant harshly until finally Hagar flees from her. While in exile, an angel proposed that Hagar return to Sarah and Abraham and be subservient; in return, blessings would be bestowed upon
•God shows us the promise of new life in the resurrection and of new society in the Reign of God
The factual nature of God (given that He exists as the First Cause) is at all times argued by most Christians. Moreover numerous questions arise on the nature of God. We all know that, at some point we will actually die; yet, we consistently refuse the causes operating within ourselves that looks into the real result of what comes after a person loses his or her life. It is far simpler for humankind to agree that, they will depart to a secure home in Heaven and will be pardoned all their sins by a supreme being, rather than to query on the existence of the extremely all-powerful being. Luckily, some of us usually query this existence and the development of humankind; in addition to, the spiritual lessons obtained from our mothers and fathers, community and religion. This essay investigates the two logical justifications for and against the nature of God; in accordance to opinions of some exceptional researchers and philosophers. Through two classical arguments for God; the ontological argument and the teleological argument, I will show that there is no adequate evidence or extensive justifications for the true nature of God.
God and the Bible’s teachings are used as a framework to find meaning in life and purpose of human presence. Purpose resides in every human’s potential to strive for peace, seek equality, nurture relationships and the environment to achieve harmony with the earth (Valk, 2012). “Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my savior and my hope is in you all day long” (Ps 25:5). The Holy Spirit, known as God’s active force and His power in action (Lk 1:35), is used as a guide by Christians to ascertain and determine what is right. “We choose to act based on good thinking, scripture and prayer, and the Holy Spirit helps us discern the right alternatives” (Shelly & Miller, 2006, p. 89). In seeing others as the image of God, choosing what is right from wrong is influenced by beliefs cultural background and respect for one another. In this religious culture, the tendency to do wrong is seen as sinfulness. However, it is the admission of sin that leads Christians to Jesus Christ to find and experience God’s forgiveness (Shelly & Miller, 2006). The recognition of sin and eventual redemption strengthens the relationship with God which directs a life of service to humanity (Shelly & Miller,
God calls Abram while he is in Ur. He commands him to leave the country with his family to a land God has chosen. He promises to bless Abram and make his descendants form a great nation. This promise will be fulfilled in the Mosaic Covenant. God makes a promise to bless Abrams personally, and also promises that his name will be well known. This promise will later be fulfilled in the Davidic Covenant. God will bless anyone who blesses Abram, but will place a curse on anyone who attempts to cur...
Life’s purpose remains as a variable for mankind. There are three possible choices for this variable: no purpose, a purpose, or the purpose. These choices can be analogous to nihilism, existentialism, and belief in a divine being respectively. But how should one live? From a nihilistic viewpoint, an existentialistic perspective, or just in plain faith? The answer: the latter. However, humans tend to believe their thinking is rational, but one can only say one’s thinking is rational if one knows everything. According to Jesús Mosterín, “Humans are not rational by definition but they can think and behave rationally… depending on whether they apply… the thoughts they accept” (Infosources). In the context of these words, humans create what they believe is rational depending on their knowledge, but in actuality humans cannot be rational because they do not possess omnipotence. Since humans are irrational, there must be a being that is rational who knows the explanations to all questions; everything must have an opposite. With this, nihilism and existentialism are creations of the human mind making it irrational; both of these philosophies do not explain the fundaments to our existence. Rather they are merely a replacement for what humans cannot understand. Hence, people should live by faith in a divine being as it is rational whereas both nihilism and existentialism are irrational.
...h we should follow and recognize our purpose of life: to serve God. Christ gave us spiritual freedom through His death and Resurrection in hope that we use this freedom to willingly choose to follow Christ.
What is the meaning of life? What is the point of living if we all eventually die? Philosophers have come up with many different theories regarding this subject. However, there remains a lack of any agreed upon theory for the meaning of life. Thomas Nagel and Harry Frankfurt are two philosophers who have offered their opinions on this issue. In his book called What Does it All Mean?, Nagel distinguishes between meaning within a life and the meaning of life as a whole. The differences between the two create a discrepancy that does not provide a clear conclusion which attributes meaning to our lives. On the other hand, in his book called The Reasons of Love, Frankfurt argues that love is the key to a meaningful life. He describes the idea of self-love, the purest form of love that commits us to finding meaning in our lives. This paper discusses Nagel’s distinction between the two types of meaningfulness, Frankfurt’s analysis of the love-meaning connection, and my argument that Frankfurt’s point of view addresses Nagel’s meaning within a life but not meaning of life as a whole. Then, the paper concludes with my belief that the search for the meaning of life is the meaning of life itself.
What is the purpose of life? This is a question that has been argued since the beginning of time. Countless honorable and wise men have pondered and made conclusions about what our true purpose is in life. Aristotle and al’Ghazili are two philosophers that studied this purpose of life for almost all of their human existence. Their two proposals about the purpose of life and the ethics that are required to accomplish this purpose share some common ideas, while also having serious contrasts.